I was hoping to find enough in my startup budget to buy a work truck but it doesn't look like I can afford anything I would want right now. I can get a new single axle open trailer (5.5x10) for $1200 or a used 6x12 enclosed tandem axle (real dirty but not dented) for $2500. I'd really prefer to use the open trailer, but wondered if there was a huge downside of one over the other.
I have a good truck btw, but it's not really built heavy enough for what I want, and I don't want to tie it up full time. Still thinking about it, but I'd have add air bags, ladder rack, etc.
I appreciate any wisdom you might have.
Aqua Boy said
Feb 15, 2016
Bryan,
There is good and bad in both open and closed trailers. Unfortunalty, this is in my "opinion"
the run down. i have been in the business approx 8 years give or take.
Open Trailer (pros)
(1) quick and easy to pop out and get to work
(2) obvious excellent ventillations for equipment and SH etc..
(3) Less expensive then closed trailer
Open Trailer (cons)
(1) cant really advertise on the side that well
(2) No SH fumes -- rust etc..
(3) Zero security - some people like to shop your stuff when your in a customers yard
(4) Overall appearance so -so
Closed Trailer (pros)
(1) Advertising looks sharp
(2) Security you can lock your equipment up
(3) Out of the weather
(4) a place to hide when the weather kicks up or if you really need a bathroom emergency break
Closed Trailer (cons)
(1) Sh fumes can hurt equipment
(2) Gets hot - needs ventilations regarding power washing motors etc
(3) More expensive overall
Hope this helps!
Liberty SoftWash said
Feb 15, 2016
I would say open.We are going back to a box truck for our hood cleaning side of it.
Andy Hinson said
Feb 15, 2016
Sounds like your only option is a trailer. Nothing wrong with that. Double axle would be nice but if your PW is 5 GPM or less you should not need to haul water. Do what you got to do to get started.
Fred W said
Feb 15, 2016
Ditto on all the above.
Bryan P said
Feb 15, 2016
Andy Hinson wrote:
Sounds like your only option is a trailer. Nothing wrong with that. Double axle would be nice but if your PW is 5 GPM or less you should not need to haul water. Do what you got to do to get started.
Yep...you can surely overthink this stuff. I'll have 100 gallons max of water, plus a bleach tank and soap.
njacobson said
Feb 15, 2016
I am going open for the time being. I have an enclosed, and was worried about rinsing the equipment on the plywood floors and walls. It has been suggested on here, to rhinoline the inside to protect the wood. I am sure that is a great solution. but, then you still have ventilation, and cooling of chems to worry about. So, I decided against using the enclosed I already possess. Instead I have purchased a 5x10 open to use for now. Until I buy a dedicated work truck that I can mount my skid into. I thought about getting rid of my Jeep, to get a truck. I just can't bring myself to do it. I'll just pull the trailer for now. When money starts coming in, and I've replenished my equipment, Insurance and all the start up costs, I will start putting toward a truck to use(with a wrap for advertising, of course)
Maverick Contracting said
Feb 15, 2016
An enclosed trailer can be coated and reinforced in corners with marine epoxy (reinforce corners with fiberglass mesh) to make it waterproof for rinsing inside trailer. I use a lot of West Marine epoxy for wood restoration and waterproofing (Like boat hulls)
Dave said
Feb 16, 2016
I have had an open trailer and an enclosed trailer. I love the enclosed trailer. everything is inside, out of the weather. You also have the ability to have shelving to store stuff. Also gives you the ability to have a porta potty inside the trailer, so you don't have to worry about employees using the customers yard.
Diamond Roof Cleaning said
Feb 16, 2016
+1 on the enclosed trailer. I have had open trailers as well and I like them becuase you don't have to vent anything ( hot water pressure washers). Also the fact that everything is accessible. But like others have pointed out the enclosed allows for great advertising and the ability to store and keep equipment out of the elements.
I would treat the floors with an epoxy of rhino line. If you rhino line then make sure you use a heavy grit sand paper to scratch the wood to allow the liner to soak in and stick. I made the mistake of not doing that and it didn't hold up to well.
Dan Dykstra said
Feb 16, 2016
We run both open and enclosed, the open trailer is what we use for our residential market (roof & house washing) the enclosed is used on the commercial side (hood & fleet washing)
Make sure the single axle trailer your looking at can handle the weight you will putting on it.
Diamond Roof Cleaning said
Feb 16, 2016
Dan your not using the skid in your truck anymore?
BlueRidge said
Feb 16, 2016
I started out with a 5x10 open trailer I already had. I out grew it quickly and then moved to the first E350 14' box truck that work well for us for two years. I then moved up to an Isuzu NPR 16' box. There are a number of reasons why I will never go back to a trailer unless it was committed to commercial only.
I live in an area with 5 small cities I service that date back to the 1700's. There are so many places where the trailer was a real problem due to parking, streets & driveways. I learned early on that the trailer was a problem more than once a week. Now we only have a problem with low branches and steep driveways that the tailgate hits.
I solved the problem with venting the pressure washer engine and diesel exhaust with black stove pipe out the back door.
Advantages of enclosed: (some repetitive)
A lot of room for storage
Everything is secure
Hiding during that sudden storm
A place to easily get rid of the morning coffee
Equipment is out of weather
Three sided billboard
Disadvantages:
High maintenance to keep all metal from rusting
Oil wheels on door frequently
Watching for low tree limbs
Steep driveways (trailers hit these as well)
Bryan P said
Feb 16, 2016
Good info, guys! Thanks so much.
Maverick Contracting said
Feb 16, 2016
The way I vent my box truck if I run PW off the back is open up rear door and put a $15 box fan at the cab side hooked up to a jumper pak with built-in inverter blowing g out. Simple cheap and modular. Just the way I like it😊
BlueRidge said
Feb 16, 2016
Maverick Contracting wrote:
The way I vent my box truck if I run PW off the back is open up rear door and put a $15 box fan at the cab side hooked up to a jumper pak with built-in inverter blowing g out. Simple cheap and modular. Just the way I like it😊
Some six inch pipe with one elbow and three inch with an elbow with a permanently installed fan wire into the PW generator. All the fumes go outside at a cost of about 50.00. Turn on the PW and don't touch anything.
Brett, I see the fan in the back. Is that hardwired in? That's the position I setup my vent fan plugged into the battery pak. Provides all the ventilation I need esp. when guys need a break from the sun and heat at lunch during summer.hell some days we keep a 5gal pail filled with ice water to dunk their hea da in lol.
BlueRidge said
Feb 17, 2016
Maverick Contracting wrote:
Brett, I see the fan in the back. Is that hardwired in? That's the position I setup my vent fan plugged into the battery pak. Provides all the ventilation I need esp. when guys need a break from the sun and heat at lunch during summer.hell some days we keep a 5gal pail filled with ice water to dunk their hea da in lol.
"a permanently installed fan wire into the PW generator"
Dave O said
Feb 17, 2016
I purchased a small open trailer when I first started out and that is what I still use. I pulled it with an SUV. Next month I am purchasing a larger open trailer and will be pulling it with a pick-up truck. What I really like about an open trailer is the ease of access to everything. Signage is no problem. I have a large sign across the lift gate and signs on both side of the vehicle. If I really wanted to, I can easily install two large signs along both sides of the ladder rack. I haven't had an issue with theft while stopping somewhere. If it happens to rain while we're out, so what - everything is water proof.
Aselton said
Feb 19, 2016
Open aluminum trailer, then move to NPR aluminum flatbed in future.
I was hoping to find enough in my startup budget to buy a work truck but it doesn't look like I can afford anything I would want right now. I can get a new single axle open trailer (5.5x10) for $1200 or a used 6x12 enclosed tandem axle (real dirty but not dented) for $2500. I'd really prefer to use the open trailer, but wondered if there was a huge downside of one over the other.
I have a good truck btw, but it's not really built heavy enough for what I want, and I don't want to tie it up full time. Still thinking about it, but I'd have add air bags, ladder rack, etc.
I appreciate any wisdom you might have.
There is good and bad in both open and closed trailers. Unfortunalty, this is in my "opinion"
the run down. i have been in the business approx 8 years give or take.
Open Trailer (pros)
(1) quick and easy to pop out and get to work
(2) obvious excellent ventillations for equipment and SH etc..
(3) Less expensive then closed trailer
Open Trailer (cons)
(1) cant really advertise on the side that well
(2) No SH fumes -- rust etc..
(3) Zero security - some people like to shop your stuff when your in a customers yard
(4) Overall appearance so -so
Closed Trailer (pros)
(1) Advertising looks sharp
(2) Security you can lock your equipment up
(3) Out of the weather
(4) a place to hide when the weather kicks up or if you really need a bathroom emergency break
Closed Trailer (cons)
(1) Sh fumes can hurt equipment
(2) Gets hot - needs ventilations regarding power washing motors etc
(3) More expensive overall
Hope this helps!
Yep...you can surely overthink this stuff. I'll have 100 gallons max of water, plus a bleach tank and soap.
I would treat the floors with an epoxy of rhino line. If you rhino line then make sure you use a heavy grit sand paper to scratch the wood to allow the liner to soak in and stick. I made the mistake of not doing that and it didn't hold up to well.
Make sure the single axle trailer your looking at can handle the weight you will putting on it.
Dan your not using the skid in your truck anymore?
I started out with a 5x10 open trailer I already had. I out grew it quickly and then moved to the first E350 14' box truck that work well for us for two years. I then moved up to an Isuzu NPR 16' box. There are a number of reasons why I will never go back to a trailer unless it was committed to commercial only.
I live in an area with 5 small cities I service that date back to the 1700's. There are so many places where the trailer was a real problem due to parking, streets & driveways. I learned early on that the trailer was a problem more than once a week. Now we only have a problem with low branches and steep driveways that the tailgate hits.
I solved the problem with venting the pressure washer engine and diesel exhaust with black stove pipe out the back door.
Advantages of enclosed: (some repetitive)
Disadvantages:
Some six inch pipe with one elbow and three inch with an elbow with a permanently installed fan wire into the PW generator. All the fumes go outside at a cost of about 50.00. Turn on the PW and don't touch anything.
"a permanently installed fan wire into the PW generator"